Wagon-spring.



HTED AR.4,1905.

PATE

W. WEBBER. www sPRNf-, APPLICATION FLED JULY 2E, 1904.

UNITED ScraTEs Patented April 4, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

WAGGN-SPRENG.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,614, dated April 4, 1905. Application Iileil July 28, 1904. Serial No. 218,496.

T LZ whom it' 17m/y concern:

Be itknown that l., lNILLIAM W EBBER, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at lessington Springs, in the county of Jerauld and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in vehicle-springs` and more particularly to that class of vehicles used in carrying heavy weights, such as lumber and hay wagons and the like; and the object ot' the invention is to provide a spring that shall be inexpensive an d eliective and so constructed that the load will be evenly distributed no matter in what part of the body or' the wagon it may be placed; and to that end the invention consists in a series of rocking crank-shafts provided with suitable connecting mechanism, combined with one or more horizontal springs of proper length and capacity and so arranged that its tension may be increased or diminished, as desired, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

rEhe annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate my invention, in Which- Figure l represents a vertical sectional view of my device. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View of the connecting` rod or tubing, spring-cam, and portion of the reach oi' the running-gear of the wagon, showing the spring compressed. Fig. i is also a detail sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 3, except that the spring is shown in its normal position c., relaxed position. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the reach in cross-section, showing the slide and grooved slideway. Fig. 6 is a detail view in cross-section of the reach, showing the cam journaled in the slideway. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the rear crank, showing the connection between the same and the rear end of the tubular rod; and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view oi' the tubular bar, showing the solid rod zonlnected thereto and detached from the venc e.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the platform oi' the vehicle, which rests upon the cross-cleats B B, to the under side of which, at the outer ends, are the boxes C C. i

D D are rock-shafts provided at their outer ends with cranks E, the ends oiI said cranks being journaled in the boxes (j, while the shaft itselil is supported in bearings F on the running-gear G.

H H are cranks secured to or forming a part of the shaft D about midway of its length, and said cranks H extend down wardl y and approximately at right angles to the cranks E.

I designates a tubular connecting-rod oonnecting the respective cranks H H on the shafts D D, so that any motion given to either shaft will be communicated to the other` thus operating the cranks H H simultaneously.

K are twin springs which are arranged upon the tubular rod. rl`he end o ofthe spring K abuts against an angle-iron a', that is secured to the under side ot' the reach, while the opposite end 5 presses against a collar L', having a set-screw whereby the collar may be held iirmly in position on the rod. The spring K on the tubular rod is interposed between a sliding angular plate or iron c3 and a collar c, having a set-screw c. This sliding angular plate has its horizontal movement in a grooved guide-plate Z on the under side of the reach, and to this guide-plate is journaled a cani ed, which has its bearing against the vertical por tion c2 of said sliding angular plate, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The particular features of this device is that when the weight or load is placed on any part ot' the platform it will be equally and evenly transmitted to the springs, as i1 the weight had been distributed over the whole surface,

the vehicle the operator simply applies a wrench to the end f oi' the journal of the cam and gives the cam a turn, which latter acts upon and forces the angular sliding' plate upon the tubular rod toward the collar, thus conipressing the spring' K interposed between these two points, and thereby giving said and when there is an unusual heavy load uponv Spring stronger tension and permitting the springs to bear more readily the heavy weight or load.

The tubular rod is constructed with an eye or bearing g at its rear end, that engages a V- Shaped crank g, which is interposed between said rear end ol2 the tubular rod and tbe crankarms ot' tbe rear rocking shaft, thus providing a llexible connection between tbe same, thereby giving an eaey movement to the tubular rod and preventing binding of the same. The Solid rod /L of the connecting-rod is provided at ite 'forward end with a hook L, that connects with the central crank-arm of the vfront rock-shaft, and Said solid rod enters the tubular rod, whereby the connectingrod may be lengtliened or Shortcned in adjusting' the running-gear et' the vehicle in changing the saine for a lumber-wagon or to a shortbody vehicle, and the two parts oi' the connecting rod after Such adjustment are held in a fixed position by the set-screw v.

it will be readily observed that by my constuction oi" a vehicle- Spring the rear spring can be readily reinforced Should a heavier weight be placed upon the spring simply by the operator turning the cam, which contracts and strei'igthens the spring lfl, thus resisting the heavy weight, and it will also be seen that Several ol these springs may be employed when greater strengtl'i is required Vfor heavy loads and bythe adjustment of the Sliding plates through the medium oi' the came the Springs are caused to .reinforce one another, and the tension of the springs can be adjusted to a nicety for light loads, riding, or 'for heavy loads, and a device as herein described is durable, the parte easily and quickly adjusted and {irmly bolted to the running-wear., and at vthe same time cheap to manufacture.

lV do not wish to be coniined to the e1' tot construction ot' my improved vehicle-spring,

reame ae various changes may be made in ite construction without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is-

1. in a vehicle-spring, the combination with the crank-shafts, connecting-rod, Springs, of the angular sliding plate, grooved slideways and cam, substantially as described.

i2. The combination with the crank-shafts, connecting-rod and coiled springs., of the sliding plate, grooved slideway, cam and the J- shaped crank, interposed between the rear end of the connecting-rod and tne rear crank-shaft. substantially as described.

3. rlhe combination with the crank-shafts, sliding' angular plate, grooved Slideivay, springs, cam and t-shaped crank of the tubular connecting-r0d provided with the solid rod having the hooked end and the tubular rod provided with the set-screw, the rear end ot' the tubularrod having the eye or bearing, substantially as described. V

4. The Within described vehicle spring, comprising the front and rear rock-sbafts provided With the cranks; the tubular rod connecting these rock-shafts, said rod having tbe solid rod Sliding therein, and the ii-shaped crank interposed between the rear end oi' said tubular rod and rear crank-shaft, the grooved slideway, an angular sliding plate, a cam, angular plate a', coiled springe, and coilars, liaving the set-screws, the whole adapted to operate as described.

liu testimony whereof i have signed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM TVVEBBER.

1ilfitnesees:

E. H. BATES, W. E. WRieirr. 

